The way we play sometimes.

We work the ball into a promising area wide then because of our reluctance to release the ball for anything less than what I’d describe as a 90% probability pass the ball goes back central and back and they get players behind the ball. Sometimes it just seems possession at the expense of even scoring. Take a man on, whip an early cross in or try and ambitious through ball. We barely cross the ball at all right now

It’s like “*%^@*** hell I won’t take responsibility mikel will shout at me if we lose it”

This is the most frustrating thing about us right now

That’s how we have played most of the time this season. It is very similar to City but they have Haaland. Both Saka and Martinelli don’t try to beat their man as often as they should and with the two of them missing it’s even more conservative. Reminds me of what Grealish has become. It’s boring really.

i agree it’s city lite. A death by a thousand passes

however city do take more chances around the box and are happy to hit a few 50/50s at Haaland,

Oh Trossard should score there

I think there is an element of teams giving us a lot of respect this season compared to last, sitting a lot deeper and knowing more how we play where we’re more of a surprise last year.

It makes a target man to hit with some crosses quite important

They do especially as DeBruyne has licence to try the higher risk stuff and Haaland is such a danger that the others get a bit more space. But Grealish seems to spend his entire game getting half a yard on a defender and just turning back inside to give it to a midfielder and we are following the same path. As you say, take on your man and let fly.

30 minutes left, not really doing enough to win the game so we need to make 100% sure we don’t lose it!

Very much not the let it flow directive in Europe is it? It’s like watching in 2005. Go down, get the foul.

thing is David Raya has free reign to try as many ambitious passes as he wishes. He’s immune to the rule then. woe betide any full back wanting to overlap though or knock it early to the far post

Ok, these are diving pricks

Where’s the change Arteta? Reiss on for some pace?? So they don’t press up onto the halfway line maybe?? Vieira doing his nothing performance so far.

Lens on top now. Loose passing and their defence has pushed up higher because we have no pace to threat in behind.

Need Nelson on to at least offer some pace out wide and Emile Smith Rowe to bring someone on who can carry the ball more directly.

I don’t think I’ve ever been convinced of Vieira on the wing

That’s unlucky. Met the corner on the full and the gk knew nothing about it a yard either side and it’s a goal

Pep must be hoping Haavertz starts on Sunday.

2-1 down it’s been coming

Who could have seen that coming?? That’s *%^@ squad use all round.

It’s all coming down our left hand side

we deserve that.

dire performance and haven’t taken anywhere near enough risks

totally arrogant performance

In small 6 game groups draws away from home aren’t bad results. You can’t afford to lose these games, it totally opens up the group and we’re going to be forced to have no margin for error.

This has been a really poor performance- gradually got worse as the game has gone on

FFS. Why wait until we go a goal down???!!! Make the change beforehand!! All looking a bit rigid in play and decision making.

Fast movement of the ball and players, made that Lens goal. Unlike our tippy tappy around without any end result.

Not sure it’s arrogance. Lack of urgency and tempo.

This ref is awful. Clear foul on the edge of their box. He’s given them so much tonight

So so slow in the build up. No Saka no Martinelli no pace and no threat.

Eddie, here's your chance

Agreed but they’ve taken their goals in transitions moments when we’ve given it away in our half. That’s up to us to be more careful but it allows them to play at speed because there’s so much more space to play in.

Look at the pace we were able to play with v PSV because they pressed high and left lots of gaps.

We needed to be a lot better to ensure we aren’t always attacking against a 10 man defence, but once it is a set defence and so deep it’s very difficult to inject that pace

Our forwards have got nothing from their 3 CB tonight. They’ve been hugely physical and we haven’t been able to hold it at all

We’d be better off forcing the ref not to play the advantages when we’re fouled as we’re more likely to score from the set piece that in open play

This is shocking. Heads are just not there. Thinking of Sunday?

Huge chance to equalise. Blocked on the line I think

Too used to proper added time in the prem. only 4 minutes here despite losing 2 of those to that melee after that chance

Thinking the same. Only 4 minutes.

Architects of our own downfall.

Ramsdale back for me.

Too much tippy tappy, not enough courage to take a chance.

Really poor.

Ironically the most threatening we looked all second half was when we just went with some long punts in to their box in added time.

By far the worst performance of the season.

Lens deserved it
We lacked urgency for more than 88 minutes

Without doubt the easiest group in the CL and a totally incompetent manager who makes his players too scared to try something in case they make an error. Plus overplaying Saka.

Probably only had a minute of actual football in those 4 as well

Yeah I’ve got to say, Raya was going to have to be spectacular to be an improvement on Ramsdale, was that performance worth the cost of dropping him??

Utd just did better than us, losing at home again !
Let's see what excuses Ten Hag will have this time